


Lady Grey

by Morty_Writes



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Maids, Nobility
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-03 07:03:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15813870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morty_Writes/pseuds/Morty_Writes
Summary: Imagine that at least one of Celestia’s lies is true: she’s a daughter of an aristocrat who owns the world's biggest casino and indulges his two favourite women - his wife and his daughter.Behind the scenes is Kirumi Tojo - her trusted maid, who acts as the lady’s personal advisor and friend. Selflessly devoted to her, she is willing to do anything it takes to make her happy.Celestia regularly gambles and attends parties, becoming "The Queen of Liars", much to her parents’ despair. People consider her a spoiled girl unable to take over her father's business and make the Ludenberg household prosper, although there is much more to her than meets the eye.This, however, changes after her father’s death, as she is the one to inherit everything, including the many secrets her family holds...





	1. Heavy Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short as it should serve as an introduction to what my style looks like and the story itself, just establishing the setting and our two protagonists. The pairing is a rare one, but I promise to try my best to make it work. I know that the lady and maid ship aren't uncommon, heck, The Handmaiden was an inspiration for me, but I will try to give this trope a new life.

Despite having the best private tutors and an exquisite taste in art, Celestia couldn’t properly grieve. At least that was the impression Kirumi had after attending the master’s burial with her. She didn’t shed a tear during the day and managed to maintain her cool composure, even though the man in question was her beloved father. He was a rich man able to make important decisions with a snap of his fingers, owning the world’s biggest casino and a few hotels all around the globe. He presented Celestia with the gift of a happy childhood. She had everything a young girl would ever want, and maybe even more than that: fancy colorful dresses, pretty dolls, and a huge garden to play all day long…

Yet, the lady didn’t cry.

The overcast weather was quite fitting for the occasion; at the end of the ceremony it started raining. Heavy drops hitting the visitors’ umbrellas composed a unique melody together. Kirumi, who was feeling distracted and lacking focus since today’s morning, started humming it to herself unconsciously. It sounded ominous.

Everything had a cold, blueish tint to it: the grass, the statues, and people’s grim swollen faces. She had never seen so many people, consumed by one emotion and weeping in unison, like an orchestra playing a tragic symphony in a concert hall. They all read their eulogies, each reminiscent of the other, composed of the same phrases. It was disheartening, though for the wrong reasons. Moreover, Kirumi had never been to a funeral before, so attending it together with the lady posed a certain challenge to her. She had to behave properly and choose the right words while speaking, which stressed her out more than it should.

“How are you feeling, my lady?” 

“I am good, thank you,” Celestia smiled faintly, looking at the stone with the familiar name engraved on it. He passed away almost a week ago. “My father was a great man, so it’s of course a great loss for all of us,” there seemed to be something ingenuine about the way she spoke, but Kirumi couldn’t point out what exactly. Most people believed the act, but, having stayed by the lady’s side for so long, she could see trough the skillfully crafted lies.

“Indeed,” she nodded. The master was the one to hire her: he insisted on inviting a young maid to be Celestia’s trusted advisor, teacher, and friend. The girls grew up together, blooming into the two charming young women they are today. While Kirumi became one of the most competent maids the world has ever seen, taking great pride in her work, Celestia learned the rules of the political game. 

Most of the attendees were countless relatives their noble line had, of whose existence nobody was even aware before the master’s death. They didn’t want to deal with Celestia, as they considered her a spoiled little princess who wasted time and money on gambling, but making an appearance and mourning was a must. Making any bold statements publicly was outrageous, even for an eccentric family like this. 

“Will you miss him, Kirumi?”

“I will.”

Standing at his grave together with Celestia, thinking of him, made her feel empty and distant for some reason. The lady acted as if nothing really happened, but things were never going to be the same, and they both knew it too well. 

She checked the front pocket of her drees anxiously and sighed with relief.

“We should get going,” Celeste looked up, holding on to her umbrella. “I crave for some of that wonderful English tea you bought me. Your guess was correct, though I promise you my puzzles won’t be as easy in the future.”

“It is my duty to please you, my lady.”

“Thank you.” 

There was something alluring about Celestia: her posh accent and aristocratic mannerisms, that gentle yet cold and enigmatic smile, and a huge love for mysteries. She never wanted to be simple, even with her orders. Riddles were a common way of communication between the two, and both seemed to enjoy it, although for different reasons. It was a source of amusement for one and a valid proof of professionalism for the other.

On their way back home, Kirumi noticed Celeste tinkering with a small silver keychain she had never seen before. The small figurine was a labrys, a rather peculiar choice, but nevertheless beautiful. Her elegant feminine fingers, inspecting every inch of the small souvenir, playing with it meditatively, were mesmerising. 

She seemed disturbed – that look on her face was a rare sight, which made it more endearing. Asking what was wrong was too bold of a move, as well as rather pointless. The lady would have just probably chuckled and changed the topic.

The Ludenberg mansion was big, and this might even come off as an understatement. The house was divided into three wings, each representing its respective compass point and having two floors excluding the attic. Getting lost there wasn’t a difficult task, even though the plan followed a certain logic. Most notably, the east part belonged to the servants and had a dining room with a kitchen in it, while the family spent most of the time on the western side. Kirumi, as an exception from the general rule, was granted the right to stay near Celestia, which caused jealousy and rumors. The north consisted of numerous guest rooms, currently fully occupied, as well as a ballroom and a library. 

The mansion appeared somewhat extravagant, with various shades of grey, purple, and blue as the main colour scheme. Its halls were paved with marble and decorated with flowers and antique paintings, bought at auctions or directly from the artists. 

Finally, the rose garden, the family’s favourite place to be at. Roses of different types grew there, both common and exotic, found all over the country. Between the thorny bushes, a wrought gazebo with a glass dome was hiding shyly, offering a place to rest. 

“I will be in the library, so bring the tea there, please.”

When they parted ways, Kirumi went straight to the kitchen. 

Ironically, everything seemed livelier, with so many people arriving to mourn the master. The housekeeper spent the entire day ordering the servants around and reorganizing the schedule, busy with everyone’s requests and demands. Thankfully, personal maids didn’t have to do any extra work, since it was not their direct responsibility. 

The cook was busy preparing dinner for all the guests. The aroma of spices, a great mixture of herbs from all around the globe, filled the air.  
Feeling extreme hunger pangs in her upper abdomen, Kirumi took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Her appetite had been doing weird stunts lately: she would forget to eat, despite the pain in her stomach and overall tiredness, or look at the food and feel no desire to eat it whatsoever. 

She checked her front pocket again, taking a folded piece of paper out. 

It’s now or never, just like the master ordered.


	2. The Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another rather short chapter, as I am getting used to the style and the story. I guess going shorter is more comfortable for me now.

“Dear Kirumi Tojo,

I am grateful to you for staying by my daughter's side when we both, me and my lovely wife, could not. You became like a sister to her, offering company and support on her journey to adulthood. I will make sure you have a share of the Ludenberg fortune to send to your aunt and an opportunity to visit her in Japan. There is nothing more I can do to express my gratitude, for which I am deeply sorry.

I hope you will continue to serve her when she inherits the business and starts a family of her own, taking care of her children and my grandchildren.

I know she's mischievous and always does things her way, that she likes spending her time at the casino and being in the limelight. Still, l I believe Celestia can manage our fortune wisely. She is reckless, but smart, and you perfectly know this. You know this better than anyone else. 

If you are reading my letter, it is time for her to take over my responsibilities. I expected this to happen sooner or later, but I never knew that it would happen now.

My sickness was real, but I suspect the doctor is the one to slowly kill me with his medicine. It is too late for me to seek any help, so the only thing I can do for now is talk to you through this letter and pray that Celestia and her mother are safe. Making any public claims is risky, as well as calling the police. A conspiracy should be ended with another, trickier conspiracy. 

I am unsure whether the doctor himself had any ill intentions or somebody hired him, but if my guesses are correct, Celestia could be in great danger right now. I believe they might be after our wealth, which makes her the next possible target. I want you to find out, as you are one of the few people I can trust with this matter. 

I hired a reliable detective to help you. She will be undercover on my funeral, posing as a widow of my long-lost nephew. She will be staying in the north wing, in the blue room. 

I don’t want Celestia to know the truth, at least not now. Keep it a secret as long as possible.

The second task is more delicate, but I know you can handle it. Please, take care of my daughter, so that she is not going through this alone. If she ever feels unworthy, remind her that I loved her dearly, even though I couldn’t be with her all the time, and that I am sorry for any mistakes we had made. 

Thank you for everything.”

She read through the note again, growing more unrest with each sentence. His handwriting felt shaky, as if he put all the remaining hope and energy in his slowly dying body to write that letter, despite the lingering illness and fear. 

Kirumi was not scared of being tangled up in a conspiracy or making a possible sacrifice, as she had to ensure Celestia’s happiness at all costs, no matter what. Her training consisted not only of learning the basic skills a maid must possess, but also of letting go of one’s selfish desires. Perhaps, she was a bit too enthusiastic about protecting the lady, considering full dedication to her a moral duty and not just a mundane job. One might argue that passion so strong made Kirumi the best maid the world has ever seen or maybe, on the contrary, the worst.

When the tea was ready, she rushed to the library. Celestia was sitting there, staring at the window blankly, as if an important moment or a thought was suddenly interrupted. On the wooden lacquered table in front of her lied a pile of old books, all somehow connected to management and economics. Too many of them to finish in one day.

The room, despite being quite spacious, felt crumbled and small, with shelves stacked with various folios and antiques and a huge chandelier made of elk antlers, hanging on a metallic chain. During a certain time of the day they created unsettling shadows of the walls, reminiscent of a hungry sea monster swallowing his prey alive. 

In the middle of the library stood a big globe, depicting constellations; quite surprisingly, the family was keen on astrology. Both Celestia and her mother would give readings to the mansion’s guests on parties, though mostly as a form of entertainment. The lady never revealed her true beliefs, still it was obvious something about the stars excited her. 

“I brought you tea,” Kirumi said quietly, as if not to disturb her, and put the silver tray on the desk. “Were you working on something?”

“I wasn’t. I just thought… This is what my father would do, right? Read these books, spend all of his spare time in the office signing some important documents and having no life outside of the casino. I’m the heiress, so why don’t I try to become more like him? Compensating for…” Celestia seemingly struggled with putting on her normal arrogant act. “I’m sorry… I never expected to go this far with my nonsense,” she chuckled nervously, pouring milk into a cup. “The weather is too much for me.”

“There’s no need to apologize. I’m here to assist you in any possible way, including moral support and advice,” although from a professional perspective this was a lie, the words were sincere and coming from the heart. For her own sake, she was willing to overstep the boundaries and be not just a servant, but a loyal friend. “I can see you are worried,” Kirumi wanted to tell the truth, but meeting the lady in person and remembering the master’s request made her think… Wasn’t it a little bit too much? There obviously were other issues to resolve. How should have she phrased it, anyway? No, she couldn’t be so cruel to her, not right after the funeral. “Don’t stress yourself too much, please.”

“Huh, you read me like a book,” Celestia gave her a soft look, an indeed rare gesture. Growing older, she started to wear the posh façade more often and seemed to show genuine emotions only on special occasions. “You see through my lies and riddles all the time… But I think there’s something on your mind, too,” a kind smile turned into a sly, foxlike grin. She leaned forward, sipping tea, her gaze fixed on the maid’s surprised face.

“It’s nothing serious, my lady,” Kirumi wondered whether she really noticed it or was just trying to change the subject, bluffing like in a poker match. Probably both. “I suppose the grim atmosphere of the mansion is to blame,” only now all the obvious signs of stress became visible, including sweat, hands shaking slightly, and those hunger pangs. Looking into her eyes was the worst, it felt like lying to an all-knowing judge at the court and concealing the obvious. 

“Oh, I guess it does make sense, then,” clearly dissatisfied with the answer, she sat down back on her chair. “Take care of yourself, as I want everyone to see that we hire only the best of the best. You can go for now, I’d like to spend some more time alone.”

“Yes, my lady,” Kirumi bowed and left the library. 

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she closed the door, leaving for the north wing of the mansion, where, presumably, among many relatives was the detective the master hired.


End file.
